[Jessyfay]

Okay, my dachund hasn't made a mistake in a long time. Except for lastnight, we were playing and I got distracted and forgot to let him out and next thing I knew he was at my side looking up at me with his whites of his eyes and peeing on the floor. Not lifting his leg or anything just peeing. I grabbed him and took him outside, he finished off peeing.
My question is... HOW CAN I train him so he'll let me know when he's got to go.
I have friends who have small dogs that bark at the door when they got to do there business, but my dogs not verbal, unless I can teach him to "speak" how do I do that?
I have bells at the back door but he won't use them.

I would really like to have him bark at the door when he needs to go, this would be great, any suggestions would be greatly apprciated.

[labman]

Are the bells down low and right at the edge of the door where dogs tend to paw while waiting to be let out?

Holly hasn't caught on to barking to get in even with old Aster showing her how effective it is. She is such a quiet little thing, she could end up going to the hearing impaired.

[RubyPitbull]

Jessyfay, labman is right. You have to make sure the bells are low enough so that your dog can tap them with his snout. If they aren't, try extending them with a strong string or rope.

I have bells on my door because my intention was to train my dog to use them. Before I could start really training her, I noticed that she was giving me some very direct body language (wagging tail very fast, wiggling her entire body) and licking my hand very intensely. That is her signal to me she needs to go outside. Other dogs, can be very subtle.

This is what I was doing with the bells and how I was taught.

First, follow the normal bathroom training schedule you have established, but now add the following: Each time you get to that door to go out, you shake the bell a bit, and say "go potty" (or whatever your trigger words are that you have taught her to mean going outside to the bathroom). Do this every time you take your dog outside for a potty run. After about a week or so, when you are at the door for the usual "business" routine, say "go potty", but don't touch the bell. You want her to give it a nudge or tap. If she does do this on her own, give her lots and lots of enthusiastic praise and quickly open the door. If she doesn't touch the bell, after standing at the door for about 10 seconds, shake the bell yourself while saying "go potty", and bring her outside as usual.
Keep doing this every time you go outside until your dog "gets it". Because she is older, it may take a little longer for her to catch on, so you are going to have to be vigilant and patient with her. Eventually, she will make her way to the door and tap the bell whenever she needs to go outside.